​I have been a hardworking, busy little bee during the last month, so I thought it might be nice to give everyone a behind-the-scenes look at what I've been up to!

Our cheerful greeting cards are designed by Studio Schmidt & printed in the USA on sustainably sourced paper.

​Those who know me probably already know that I am a big fan of comedian Conan O'Brien - but you might be surprised to know that it is not merely because of his comedy show! Though his comedy is reason enough to appreciate Conan and his talents, my admiration for him grew even bigger 2 years ago when I came across an inspirational quote of his that has since become my personal mantra:

"Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen." -Conan O'Brien

That quote has helped me through a lot of tough times during the last 2 years - I even embroidered the quote and hung it on one of our walls for inspiration - so it's no surprise that those words have been at the top of my mind during the last month while I have been busy getting my online shop up-and-running!

After exhibiting at my 1st art fair in mid-May, I knew that the next natural step was for me to launch an online shop so that I could get my Studio Schmidt patterned products out into the world.

During the last month, I have been doing a lot of research into which online shopping platform would work best for me and my products (I finally settled on Etsy for the time being). I have also been taking a lot of product photography, doing outdoor photo shoots with models, editing thousands of photographs, writing product descriptions, setting up my online Etsy shop (StudioSchmidtDesigns) and researching future wholesale opportunities for my products.​In the end, it has been a lot of hard work, but it has also been a very exciting and very educational process! I can't wait to officially launch my Studio Schmidt Designs Etsy shop tomorrow!

The outdoor photo shoots that I did for my tote bags and kitchen tea towels have definitely been the most enjoyable part of the process for me! Since a lot of my design inspiration comes from the neighborhood where I live, I knew that I wanted to shoot some of the images for my Etsy shop/future marketing materials around our local arts district. There is so much creativity and positive energy in the Oak Park Arts District neighborhood and I wanted that uniqueness to come across in my photos.

​A big thank you to my friend, Amy, for helping me with some of my photo shoots! Especially during the hot weather!

The fabric for our handmade tote bags, kitchen tea towels & other items is printed in the USA with pride

Behind the scenes of our recent tote bag photo shoot...

From the start, I have always wanted to launch my own line of American-made products. This has been a goal of mine for several years, so I am beyond excited that it is finally coming to fruition! I wanted to help support the American economy. I wanted to be a part of the handmade maker movement. I wanted to design and create products that I could be proud of and that would bring others joy: high-quality items that were made with care, attention to detail and eco-friendly materials (whenever possible).

In order to achieve my goals, I have devoted a lot of time and energy to finding wonderful textile and paper printers that not only did a great job, but were also based in the USA. As a result, I am happy to say that all of the products that will be available for purchase in my Studio Schmidt Designs Etsy shop are printed and made in the USA - many of them are also handmade and/or sewn by yours truly!

At times, it seems hard to believe that it has only been about 6 months since I started my own design studio. Though it has taken some time to get things up-and-running, I already feel as if amazing things are happening all around me! In working hard to achieve my goals and doing my best to support and be kind to other American businesses, I have found happiness, a passion for textile and surface pattern design and increased motivation for my future career.

​I know that more amazing twists and turns lie ahead in my creative journey and I can't wait to see what the rest of 2016 holds for Studio Schmidt Designs!

This set of playfully patterned blank note cards will lend a contemporary touch to your correspondence

Our stationery is printed in the USA on sustainably sourced paper

While my online Etsy shop will be an ongoing project, I am happy that the initial process is finally almost complete! Of course, it is not 100% perfect (nothing in life ever is), but it will feel great to finally hit "publish" tomorrow and send my initial product collection out into the world!

I will be editing listings, as well as adding new products and designs to my store in the future, so feel free to check back periodically to see what's new and fresh in the Studio Schmidt Designs shop! The name of my Etsy shop is StudioSchmidtDesigns. Feel free to check out my shop now if you like via the orange link at the left. My product listings will be posted to my Etsy shop page tomorrow.

If you're interested in getting future updates from Studio Schmidt Designs, feel free to sign up for our monthly email newsletter through our website. Or if social media is more your thing, you can follow Studio Schmidt Designs on Instagram (studio.schmidt) or on our Studio Schmidt Facebook page!

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Shelley Schmidt

Hello there! I'm an Atlanta-based surface pattern designer, illustrator, and maker. I would describe myself as a color enthusiast, creative entrepreneur, baker, lover of life, and fan of all things festive! Traveling to new places - whether near or far - is one of my favorite things to do. Please join me as I explore life and embark on new creative adventures!